Security threats ahead of Manchester Derby

The Greater Manchester police have been put on high alert ahead of the crunchy encounter between both Manchester based clubs. There is a need to be much more careful not only because of the usual brawl that might ensue during the course of the game but due to the severity of security threats in and around the Manchester City’s Etihad stadium. Just two weeks ago, a man was arrested in a supermarket adjacent to the Etihad after he flew his drone near the stadium while a match was on-going between the Citizens and Tottenham Hotspurs.

Another high-profile security breach around the stadium recently occurred during the Euro 2016 qualifiers between bitter rivals Serbia and Albania. The match had to be abandoned after a serious mass brawl broke out. The already tensed relationship between both nations escalated when a drone carrying a politically motivated flag landed on the pitch and a Serbian player pulled down the Kosovo flag. The police have now resolved to deploy a helicopter to help with surveillance as the recent use of drones around sporting areas, the Etihad especially, presents fresh problems. The Great Manchester Police are also said to have assessed the rate of this menace and will arrest anyone who flies a device around the stadium whether a match is on-going or not and instruct him to land it immediately.

To ensure that the derby is itch free, the police department are set to deploy as many as 400 officers and Sportsmail also reports that the barrage of banning orders handed to Manchester United supporters have lapses just of recent and as such they will be eligible to attend the derby. Apart from the helicopter and numerous human resources to be deployed, the police department will also employ the use of sniffer dogs to detect any flares with pyrotechnics.

The officer in charge of operations on Sunday, Superintendent Craig Thompson was quoted to have said: ‘We are well used to policing high-profile fixtures like this. I would urge fans to come to the game, enjoy the day and arrive well in time for kick-off because of the building work going on around the ground. They will see plenty of police officers on the grounds that are there to ensure their safety. If there is any trouble or disorder, we will deal with it robustly.’

Manchester City haven’t secured a victory in three games and will be all out to get a more inspiring result against their city rivals.

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